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No. 6l0,336. Patented Sept. 6, I898. W. H. WHITE. APPARATUS FOR PLAYING GOLF.

(Application filed Dec. 27, 1897.)

(No Model.)

4 Sheets-She m: Nonms pzrsns co, PNOYO-LITKQ. WASHINGTON, n, cy

Patented Sept. 6, I898.

W. H. WH|TE. APPARATUS FOR PLAYING GOLF.

No. s|0,33s.

(Application filed Dec. 27, 1897) 4 Sheets-Shed 2-.

(No Model.)

No. 6l0,336.

Patented Sept. 6, I898. W. H. WHITE.

APPARATUS FOR PLAYING GOLF.

(Application filed Dec. 2'7, 1897.)

(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Emil LCLULifi RIG-SUI HP m lhr Patented Sept. 6, I898.

W. H. WHITE.

APPARATUS FOR PLAYING GOLF.

4 (Application filed Dec. 27, 1897.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

F K E ATENT "WILLIAM HARLEY WVIII'IE, OF EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND.

APPARATUS FOR PLAYING GOLF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 610,336, dated September 6, 1898.

Application filed December 27, 1897. Serial No. 663,574. (No model.)

ToctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, W'ILLIAM HARLEY VVHITE, printer, a subject of the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Thistle Lodge, West Ferry road, Edinburgh, in the county of Mid-Lothian, Scotland,-have invented a new Apparatus for Playing the Game of Golf in Restricted Areas of Ground, Roofed or Unroofed, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for playing the game of golf in restricted areas of ground, roofed or unroofed, and I may call it short golf.

The apparatus consists of pendent strings or tapes of hemp, cotton, wool, or other spun or woven material, or cord with a Wire core or wire strands, or strips of leather, rubber, or other material set up to partially impede the progress of a golf ball when driven against it in playing the game of golf in restricted areas. Such pendent strings or strips are suspended above the ground from a horizontal bar or bars of wood, or bars or tubes of iron, brass, steel, or other metal or horizontal stretches of strings or strips of textile fabric, leather, or rubber. Such horizontal bars or strips are supported at each end on upright posts or tubes of wood or metal fixed firmly in the ground, or in lieu of the strips hangingloosely from the top bar of the frame from which the strips are suspended I may fix the extremities of the strips to a bottom bar of the frame. Also I may mount the strips horizontally that is to say, between two opposite upright postsor the strips may be diagonally arranged-that is to say, the top of the first strip may be attached to the top of the frame within which the strips are strung and the other end of the strip connected to one of the uprights, the middle strips being connected diagonally between the top and bottom bars of the frame, the strips at the other end of the frame being connected between theother or opposite upright and the bar at the bottom of the frame. Also I may use a circle-frame, from the rim of which I may string the strips vertically or horizontally or diagonally. I may keep the strips taut by means of indiarubber or steel springs attached to the bars, also so that the required tension maybe given to the strips, so as to offer more or less resistance to the passage of the balls through be tween the strips, or I may keep the strips taut by having their ends attached to a roller, and on the roller being revolved the stripstightened. Also I may make the pendent and horizontal strips taut by weighting them. Inlay have twoor more impeding-frames mounted close together, so that there is an extra impediment 'to the ball on its passage through the frames. Also the strips may run in one direction at the one side of the frame and in an oppositedirection at the other side of the frame,

.and the distance between the two frames or the two sets of strips may be varied-that is to say, they maybe quite close together or some inches or feet apart. Also I may set the strips closer at some parts of the frame than at other parts, so as to make it more difficult to pass the ball through the parts where the strips are set closer.

The use of such apparatus in playing this said game of short golf in a restricted area is as follows: The golf-ball is played at varying distances (depending upon the area at command) from in front of the apparatus with a full stroke, as on open ground. 4 The ball in' striking against the pendent strings orstrips is partially-retarded in its motion, the amount of retardation being arranged by the closeness together or the tautnessof the strings or strips or the number of lines of strings or strips it has to pass through before reaching the other side of apparatus, and such number is varied tosuit ground at disposal for play ing this short game of golf.

The number of apparatus to be setup over the ground varies with area at disposal. Even in a third of an acre nine holes may be placed, with the three strokes between each puttinggreen and an apparatus set up in front of each stroke. The order may be as follows: First, drive off tee through apparatus; sec ond, drive through-green through apparatus;

third, approach to putting-green through apparatus.

The distance between each apparatus and the retardation caused by the number of strips in each apparatus is gaged so as to make a good stroke of the player land the ball through the apparatus and in good position on other side for next stroke. A raised hazard with sloping side to each side of the apparatus can ICO be placed just beneath the apparatus, so that a ball striking the apparatus with insufficient force falls to foot of strings or strips and rolls down the side of sloping hazard and back into a playable fronting. Hazards and bunkers can be placed about the ground between each apparatus, the height and width of the apparatus to depend upon the space at disposal.

The line of the course could be confined by netting or other dividing material, and players could pass from one side of the apparatus to the other through a doorway in the netting or other dividing material. The puttinggreens can be of turf, rubber, cloth, cork, linoleum, or other suitable material.

The strings or strips of apparatus may be more sparsely distributed in direct line of drive through, so as to allow the straightdriving player an advantage of getting his ball through easier than a badly-driven ball.

In order that my said invention may be more readily understood, I have appended explanatory sheets of drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an indoor course constructed in accordance with my said invention. of such a course, showing the arrangement of the frames or apparatus through which the ball is driven. Figs; 2 to 12 illustrate various methods of arranging and tightening I the strips upon the frames.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the said drawings, A are the strips, depending from the top bar of the frame B.

O is the Wall of netting, in which are situated the doors of entrance and exit 0.

D are the hazards, of which there may be any number arranged in any convenient manner.

Fig. 2 plainly shows the arrangement of the frames, the entrance and exit doors in the net walls, and the bunkers, hazards, &c., the line of the course being indicated by the dot-and-dash line extending from the clubhouse E.

Fig. 2 represents the frame with the pendent strips weighted at their ends a to keep them taut.

Fig. 2 represent-s the frame with the strips arranged horizontally and weighted at both ends for the same purpose.

Fig. 3 represents the frame 13 with the extremities a of the vertical strips A fixed to both the top and bottom bars of the frame.

Fig. 4 shows the strips A arranged horizontally upon the frame, and Fig. 5 the strips arranged diagonally.

Fig. 6 shows the strips A arranged horizontally and secured to two uprights F, which are connected to two outer posts F by indiarubber or elastic bands f in order to keep the strings or strips taut and also to give any required tension to the strips whereby they can be made to offer more or less resistance to the passage of the ball between them. Fig. 7 represents the same arrangement, but with the substitution of springs G for the elastic bands f.

Fig. 8 represents the vertical strips A, secured to two horizontal rollers H, the lower of which can be rotated by the hand-wheel 7t to tighten the strips, the said hand-wheel being provided with a pawl h to prevent backward rotation.

Fig. 9 represents the horizontal strips A, secured to two vertical rollers, one of which can be rotated by the bevel hand-Wheel J,

. which engages with a bevel-wheel j upon the lower end of the said roller.

Fig. 10 is an end view of the frame shown in Fig. 9.

Figs. 11 and 12 are similar views to Figs. 9

and 10, the strips, which in this case are arranged diagonally, being connected to a vertical and a horizontal roller operated by a hand-wheel and gearing, as shown.

I prefer to employ strips composed of woven cord having a central core of any suitable wire of the desired thickness, although I may the other materials first described, as may be found most'convenient and suitable. Fig. 2 is a plan I The hazards may be made of wood, cloth, cork, rubber, or other material for indoor playing.

- The foregoing will serve to illustrate a few of the methods in which the strips may be arranged and tightened; but I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to these arrangements, as it is obvious that they may be varied in many-ways without departing from the scope of my invention.

I claim- 1. An apparatus for playing the game of golf in restricted areas of ground, roofed or unroofed, comprising a number of frames arranged at suitable distances apart, and obstructing strings,strands,wires,strips or tapes of suitable material supported upon the frames for the purpose of retarding the prog ress of the ball when it is driven against or through them, substantially as described and shown.

2. An apparatus for playing the game of golf in restricted areas, comprising suitable frames, and strings, strands, wires, strips or tapes supported upon the frames and traversing the space outlined by the frames in vertical, horizontal or diagonal directions for the purpose of retarding the progress of the ball through said space, substantially as described and shown.

3. An apparatus for playing the game of golf in restricted areas, comprising suitable frames, obstructing strings, strands, wires, strips or tapes traversing the space outlined by each frame, and means for yieldingly attaching said obstructing strings, strands, wires, strips or tapes to the upright frame and holding them taut, substantially as set forth.

4. In apparatus for playing the game of golf in restricted areas of ground, comprising suitable frames carrying horizontally-arranged of course employ strips composed of any of p strings, strands, wires, strips or tapes, an up right at each side to which the strings, strands, wires, strips or tapes are attached, and indiarubber bands or spiral springs interposed between the uprights and frames, whereby the strings, strands, Wires, strips or tapes are kept taut, as described and shown.

upright frames, strings, strands, wires, strips or tapes supported upon the frames and traversing the spaces outlined by each frame, and suitable division-walls confining the course and formed with passage ways or doors through which the players may pass, substantially as set forth.

'7. An apparatus for playing golf in restricted areas, comprising suitable frames supporting obstructing strings, strands,wires, strips or tapes, in combination with bunkers and hazards, substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM HARLEY WHITE,

Witnessesz' WILLIAM ALLARDYCE FORBES, THOMAS WILLIAM DALGLEISH. 

